Pronger fits in Philly but remains fond of Anaheim

PHILADELPHIA – Chris Pronger wasn't the only piece in the Ducks' Stanley Cup championship puzzle but it can be argued that he was the final piece that made it complete.

Now it's the Philadelphia Flyers who believe the towering defenseman will fit perfectly into their own puzzle. Two straight playoff losses to their bitter rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, led the Broad Street Bullies to conclude that they needed a real, honest-to-goodness bully to mess with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Mr. Mean, welcome to the City of Brotherly Love.

In discussing his newest team Friday, Pronger said, “I think just with the tradition of this organization and the way that they've played over the years and the style of play that they want to play … you know, I think I do fit into this culture and this system very well.

“It's tailor-made for my style of play. I'm pretty excited to be here.”

Recognizing that the Ducks couldn't keep their entire defense together and stay under the salary cap, Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren dealt for the physical 6-foot-6 blue-liner on the night of the NHL entry draft in June.

The Ducks got back scoring winger Joffrey Lupul, whom they ironically sent to Edmonton for Pronger in the summer of 2006. They also received promising 19-year-old Luca Sbisa and have already put the Italian-born and Swiss-raised defenseman in their lineup. Two first-round picks rounded out the big package.

These paths intersect Saturday night at the Wachovia Center when Pronger faces his old team. The former Hart Trophy winner has moved on, just as he's had to do three other times in his 16-year career.

But even the time-hardened veteran can't ignore that this particular game is different than the other times he's had to go against former teammates.

“They were three excellent years,” said Pronger, who turns 35 on Saturday. “I had a great time in Anaheim. I met a lot of great people throughout the community, people that I'll probably keep in touch with the rest of my life. Good friends. And obviously when you win a Cup, you form a bond with the players on that team.

“That group of players will always be in each other's minds as it was the first Cup for virtually all of us with the exception of Scotty [Niedermayer].”

It was then-General Manager Brian Burke who concluded that Pronger was the player that could put the Ducks over the top after the defenseman led Edmonton past his team in the 2006 Western Conference finals.

Pronger teamed with Niedermayer to form an imposing duo that anchored an air-tight defense. The two played big minutes for the Ducks for three seasons but it was that first campaign together that made the difference.

In three seasons, the 6-foot-6 Pronger averaged 12 goals and 50 points. But it was his looming presence that defined the Ducks' rough-and-tumble image and made life hazardous for opposing forwards in the offensive zone.

“Anytime you get a player like Pronger and you get the ability to coach him, you've got to feel fortunate,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “Because there's not many of that level of defenseman spread out in the league.

“We were fortunate to have Pronger and Niedermayer and they complemented one another very well from the standpoint where I thought it was intimidation for a lot of teams.”

As he has done before, Pronger also stepped over the line as well. There are the two suspensions in the 2007 playoffs for hits to the head and another eight-game benching by the NHL in 2008 for stepping on Vancouver's Ryan Kesler with his skate.

But the Ducks were glad to have him on their side. Niedermayer said Pronger “isn't nearly as nasty as he used to be” but grew to love wearing the black hat over time. Yet it wasn't just the intimidation factor that won the respect of his teammates.

“To me, what was more important was his abilities,” Niedermayer said. “That's what's comforting. The guy was going to go out there, do his job and do it well.”

Just as the Ducks saw Pronger as the final piece, the Flyers are counting on the veteran to be the tough-as-nails defensive force that they've lacked in recent years.

“I'm sure they will see him as the answer,” Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf said. “A big veteran leadership role like his is something that maybe they felt they were lacking. You never know. Maybe he is the answer. Who knows?”

The Ducks are trying to fill that large void on the blue line. They know it won't be an easy task.

“The one thing about Pronger,” Carlyle said, “is you knew that when he was on the ice and when he came to the rink, he came to win. That's what was first and foremost. He wanted to win.”

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